Super Smash Bros. for 3DS had a lot of questions going for it before its release. Many wondered if the first portable entry in the franchise would lose something during the transition. For me, there was no such thing. Super Smash Bros. for 3DS remains faithful to the series, and is a love letter to fans that reminds us all of the fun experiences we’ve had with Nintendo over the last several decades.

The game manages to transition its controls nicely from consoles onto the 3DS. Running is kind of hard to do on the Circle Pad, and sometimes I instinctively try to use the D-pad as it seems to have more of a better touch, but it’s ultimately a small complaint that washes away over time. Everything that’s possible in other versions of Smash Bros., such as online play, items, lots of music, and tons to characters are all here for one to enjoy. It’s one of the deepest and best fighting games on portable consoles.

One of the features exclusive to the 3DS version of the game is Smash Run. Here, you can choose a character and go through a run, battling various enemies from different franchises as you gain power ups to use in the final battle, where you face off three other people for a Smash battle. This was an enjoyable single-player experience, but it seems like this would have been a bit more fun online. But there is local play, so people nearby can have a fun time walloping each other with all the items they collect throughout the mode.

There are some nitpicks here and there, but overall Smash Bros. for 3DS retains the charm and fun of the console versions of the series. Whether it’s collecting trophies or battling it out in Classic mode (with a new wagering twist!), the 3DS version of the game is a robust, great experience that hardly feels compromised because of what system it's on.